Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Gym Reviews

1356752

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,284 ✭✭✭pwd


    Buzz Fit in Rathgar was flooded a few years ago and I don't think it ever reopened.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 405 ✭✭Patto


    Total Fitness Sandyford
    I joined Total fitness in Sandyford recently. Just a few initial impressions: Its a bit too big for my liking which makes it a bit impersonal. It does have everything you could possibly need. There seems to be a machine for every conceivable exercise but very few dumbbells, there are a good few heavy dumbbells and much fewer lighter ones, from what I can see there are only two pairs of 10Kg dumbbells in the whole place. The dumbbells are not in good condition any longer. There also seems to be a lack of dumbbell benches. And the male showers do stink!

    Its not the most salubrious gym in the area by any stretch of the imagination, fittness for the masses, the price is fair given what you get but don't expect too much customer service.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 999 ✭✭✭Noelie


    Dundrum has been closed for a good while also.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    daveirl wrote:
    This post has been deleted.

    I've just rejoined and the floor is now rubber or something similar so no pong from the carpet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Total Fitness Castleknock
    My take on this gym. I joined it last year after membership in Westpoint expired.
    I trained most morning's in it, for size and space its perfect. Training early morning I never had a problem with space.
    My first impression was - it's huge!
    Loads of decent machines upstairs and plenty of free weight in the weights room. Plenty of cardio machines also - so thumbs up for machines, weights and plenty of them.

    The down side:
    The weights room was always a mess. Plenty of weights, but you'd spend your morning trying to match up dumbells. They were tossed all over the place from the previous nights work out. The benches are next to impossible to move around, trying to get one under the smith machine was a work out in itelf and the foam on most of them is ripped and stinks. The smith machine was dangerous but they've since upgraded it. They also got new dumbells since a guy nearly lost this finger using one - they're still scattered all over the kip.

    SHOWERS:
    The showers dribble on you. The only decent shower is the one for the disabled. The changing rooms aren't great, kind of grubby. The same mat has been on the floor for the past few years and has a dark deep layer of grime spread evenly across it. This seperates the Urinal from the rest of the changing rooms, so hell only knows what lives on that mat!
    The lockers are ok, there's been the same manky stain across many of them for the past few months where a guys post-work out shake exploded all over them :D.

    All in all, I wasn't over impressed with the set up. Especially having just come from Westpoint which was cheaper. Sure the heavier dumbells were a ppleasure to have but you spent more time searching for them than anything else.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Power House: Dominic St.
    This is where the big guys live!
    I train here on and off, its handy as its only down the road from our shop.
    Price wise - €50 to join and 12.50 a week. Can't complain with that.

    First impressions... well I don't know really - it was like being catapulted back in time. It was the gym that time forgot :)
    On looking around it, its obvious to see that many of the machines span back to the days of unique in Moore street when Ken Daly was king! The machines are now old, very old and some barely hanging together. You needed to be careful with some of them.
    But F*** that, this is not a gym where you go to worry about nice fancy machines. Its a hardcore body builders gym. You go to lift weight and plenty of it. Down the end is the squatting rack, sitting pretty with 350kg's on the bar - a casual warm up for one of the guys earlier. Then you have the dumbells, again plenty of them and they go up to serious weight. There are plenty of benches and bars to boot - incline and decline, no fancy adjustable benches. You pick your angle and go for it. There's lumps of 2x1 timber 3 foot long to put between your shins and the base of the bench to stop you sliding off when inclining.
    For free weights this place has it all, some improvised by the lads. You need a certain amount of knowledge to train here, its not for the faint hearted imo.

    The staff are sound. Always on hand to give a spot no matter what weight your lifting.

    SHOWERS:
    they're basic, 2 electric showers in open space - flip flops an optional extra!

    All in all, one of the more famous gyms in the city. Some big dudes have come out of this place. If heavy lifting is your thing then Power House is right up your street.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Finglas Leisure Centre:
    What an anti climax on the back of the Power House report!!

    I trained here a few times when I was stuck for time and also a friend of mine is a duty manager so i get in for free.. would I pay? Nah not for what they offer.

    The gym is basic, very basic. Small and when half busy is a right pain in the hole. Only recently they have gotten in new dumbells which go up to 40kg's - not bad.
    Good points:
    A good few cardio machines - when working.

    Bad points:
    Not enough weights, not enough machines.
    You have to persevere through the groupies that hog certain machines, all the lads having a go while they shoot the breeze with each other. No one seems to know what 'working in with you' means - you get this look from them as if to say 'your not getting my space!'. In between dumbell sets its common for guys to walk over and pick up your weights and walk off with them, especially during busy hours. A swift pull by the hair usually gets them back fairly promt. This is not down to rudness or arrogance on their part, its just its a gym where a lot of newbies start out and aren't aware of gym etiquette. I was one myself! :o
    The gym has a barbell, and..no bench for it. I tried using it one day for deadlifting to be told that you weren't allowed put weight on it :confused:
    When I asked what was it for then, I got a silly answer.
    The benches are hard to adjust as the handles on all of them are busted. The machines take weeks to be repaired.

    Showers:
    Steer clear of the mens showers. They go from boiling hot to stone cold in a split second. Several older folk have complained about this, but they're still the same, it takes weeks and weeks for things to be fixed in this place.

    Some of the staff are sound, they're relatively young. There are one or 2 morons though. Especially one guy who likes to be loud and brash, I think the call it attention seeking. Its not very professionally run.

    But for €5.80, what can one expect!
    Its great for the senior citizens who seem to making the most of this place. There is a good bunch of them there, and they actually put a bit of life in the place.

    In conclusion;
    If your a newbie to the gym, this place can be an option. If you're interested in training properly. Go some where else..anywhere else.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Westpoint
    Out of all the gyms I've listed, this is my favourite. Why? VALUE!!

    For the price you pay here for yearly membership and the service you get this place can't be beatin IMO.
    I know I've heard reports about the night time being seriously over crowded. So this report comes from someone who has only trained there in the mornings

    Firstly the place is always immaculately clean. The ambience is perfect for working out. Downstairs beside the pool you've got a lot of weights machines and cardio machines, spread evenly over the two sides of the pool. The machines are seldom out of order, they seem to have a guy constantly at work maintaining the equipment.

    Upstairs the weights area is very good. The dumbells do only go up to 30kg's a minor point tbh there are plenty of them so you're not waiting on some one with a particular weight to finish before you start. There are udells of benches and barbells instead. No end of plates and they are always easy to find. They have a good chin up machine and a decent cable cross over macine and 2 squat racks with plenty of space!

    At the back of the weights room there is a small matted area which is ideal for stretching out after your work out.

    Showers:
    Always spotless. Always in order, always the right temps :)

    Changing areas are very clean too.

    All in all a decent gym, for the price you pay you get a top class facility. Well worth a visit. I'll be going back there soon!


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,853 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    Westpoint, Blanchardstown
    Dirt cheap. €295 a year, no joining fee.
    Has a 25m swimming pool.
    Lots of modern cardiovascular equipment.
    Modern weight machines.
    Both light free weights and heavy free weights areas.
    Showers with temperature that you control. Individual shower stalls.
    Changing areas are cleaned regularly.
    It's big. There's equipment spread across two floors.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Jon wrote:
    Power House: Dominic St.
    Down the end is the squatting rack, sitting pretty with 350kg's on the bar - a casual warm up for one of the guys earlier.

    Pharrell?


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Only one guy warms up with that weight!!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Jon wrote:
    Only one guy warms up with that weight!!

    Does he go deep with it???


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    its like an empty bar to him!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 Tim dublin


    hay what about the one in terenure, up at the KCR, the carslile i think its called!!??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 Tim dublin


    hay what about the one in terenure, up at the KCR, the carslile i think its called!!??:( :(:(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    Jesus man, you need to give people a bit longer to reply than two minutes! Are you trying to advertise it or are you really asking? I'm nowhere near terenure though so I can't help, soz.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭Money Shot


    WESTPOINT
    Decent facilities, and it is very cheap. There in lies the problem - Ben Dunne applying Dunnes Stores pricing policy to a gym.
    The evenings are just mayhem - you can't enjoy a workout or a swim when it is this crowded. Even the weekends are pretty bad. There seems to be more and more aggressive, spotty backed meat heads joining all the time. They travel in packs, grunt and don't like sharing equipment. Either that or packs of skinny 18 year old schweer boys helping each other bench way more than they are able to, or need to.
    Personally, I'd rather pay a bit more if there was some sort of cap on the membership numbers.

    RIVERSIDE
    Small, but has everthing you'll need. Friendly staff with good classes. Good city centre location. A bit over priced maybe for the size of the gym and the equipment and facilities that they provide.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Money Shot wrote:
    WESTPOINT
    Decent facilities, and it is very cheap. There in lies the problem - Ben Dunne applying Dunnes Stores pricing policy to a gym.
    The evenings are just mayhem - you can't enjoy a workout or a swim when it is this crowded. Even the weekends are pretty bad. There seems to be more and more aggressive, spotty backed meat heads joining all the time. They travel in packs, grunt and don't like sharing equipment. Either that or packs of skinny 18 year old schweer boys helping each other bench way more than they are able to, or need to.
    Personally, I'd rather pay a bit more if there was some sort of cap on the membership numbers.

    RIVERSIDE
    Small, but has everthing you'll need. Friendly staff with good classes. Good city centre location. A bit over priced maybe for the size of the gym and the equipment and facilities that they provide.

    Ugh, people like that give us a bad name.

    The biggest and baddest guys I know not only let you work in, but they load and unload your bar too.

    The gus you speak of are clearly posers. Ignore them cos they don't matter.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,469 Mod ✭✭✭✭BossArky


    No one reviewed the University of Limerick gym yet?

    Used it for years when I was a student there and would like to see how it racks up against the others on here if someone has visited it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭Money Shot


    Hanley wrote:
    Ugh, people like that give us a bad name.

    The biggest and baddest guys I know not only let you work in, but they load and unload your bar too.

    The gus you speak of are clearly posers. Ignore them cos they don't matter.

    You're dead right. I've been training for many years for various sports, so don't always need do a lot of weights, or lift heavy weights. Does this make my workout less important ??

    I need to cut in regardless, because I have job, kids etc and need to workout very quickly. It's difficult though when they pretend not to understand and just stare at you like you've just asked to meet their sister in a lane. A lot of them don't speak English fair enough, but there isn't a lot of things you get asked in a gym. It's worse when they are Irish as they don't even have the language barrier excuse. I'm ranting now. I suppose my point was, two years ago in Westpoint, there was a far different type of member, and far less.

    A Lot of bodybuilders have gym ethiquette to perfection .


  • Advertisement
  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Money Shot wrote:
    You're dead right. I've been training for many years for various sports, so don't always need do a lot of weights, or lift heavy weights. Does this make my workout less important ??

    I need to cut in regardless, because I have job, kids etc and need to workout very quickly. It's difficult though when they pretend not to understand and just stare at you like you've just asked to meet their sister in a lane. A lot of them don't speak English fair enough, but there isn't a lot of things you get asked in a gym. It's worse when they are Irish as they don't even have the language barrier excuse. I'm ranting now. I suppose my point was, two years ago in Westpoint, there was a far different type of member, and far less.

    A Lot of bodybuilders have gym ethiquette to perfection .

    Hmmm.... I don't know if this is allowable, but I think you hit the nail on the head. Even in Hercs, the polish/east europeans are VERY cliquey. It's not the sort of gym you get away with attitude in and at times fights have nearly broken out on the floor with them and some of our more senior members.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    Hanley wrote:
    Hmmm.... I don't know if this is allowable, but I think you hit the nail on the head. Even in Hercs, the polish/east europeans are VERY cliquey. It's not the sort of gym you get away with attitude in and at times fights have nearly broken out on the floor with them and some of our more senior members.

    Wow that's unfortunate. I dunno if its the college atmosphere or what, but there doesn't seem to be any of that. The only guy I've seen in our gym (NUIM) that would be considered a poseur was Irish. The foreign lads are very happy to be there, and don't get in anyone's way or get bothered by others. Not the most chatty gym, but everyone's there to do a job I guess. Must do a proper review of the gym later.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭JayRoc


    SBG NORTHSIDE

    This is ostensibly a martial arts centre, but the facilities for non-MA trainers are as good if not better than a lot of gyms I've seen.

    They have a power rack, a squat rack, Flat and Incline benches, DB's up to 50+ kilo's (from what I can recall, they were certainly heavier than most places have) a preacher bench, and the usual bits and pieces you'd expect.
    If you're a daytime trainer the weights floor will be practically deserted, so there's always room (although there's a permanent member of staff on the desk beside you who'll be available for a spot). As well as all the weights there's a number of cardio machines, including treadmills, crosstrainers and bikes. Several good-quality heavy punching bags are adjacent to the weights floor.

    The gym does a €50 per month "Cardio/Weights" membership which entitles the user to unlimited use of the weights, cardio equipment and punch bags.

    It's located in a new unit, no. 88 I think, in Baldoyle Industrial Estate.
    Five minutes walk from Howth junction DART station.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,149 ✭✭✭J.S. Pill


    daveirl wrote:
    This post has been deleted.


    I visited this gym once a few months ago. You can pay E10 for a single session. While I was impressed by the vast amount of weights at my disposal I was really put off by the generally delapidated condition of the gym.

    What I found quite shocking was the fact that there are no water fountains in there at all! I noticed that the regulars all had 2L bottles with them but I had to carefully ration the 500ml I brought with me.

    Also the showers/sinks/toilets etc. clearly hadn't been cleaned in a while. I decided to wait till I got home to have a shower.

    I went in there at about 6.30pm, a time when most gyms would be thronged but I was the only one in there for a while - hardly surprising given the state of the place. After about half an hour, 3 eastern european sh*t-houses walked in. As the original reveiwer said, its a pretty hardcore weights gym and probably not for the uninitiated.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Hercules Wrestling and Weightlifting Club

    The infamous.

    This is the home of the big dogs. If you're an aspiring powerlifter/bodybuilder/weightlifter, I guarantee you that there is no better gym.

    The sheer volume of weight in the place is unreal. There are dumbbells from 5kg right up to 70kg, in 5kg increments (At most, 2.5 most of the time). You've a choice of fat or normal handles on the ones up to about 40kg too.

    There's approx 5-600kg of calibrated weights for powerlifting, 2 competition spec bars, and 1 competition bench and squat rack, the exact same gear world championship level events are held on. This is in addition to the other benches and squat racks. There's approximately 800kg in 50kg plates which basically live on or around the leg press. There's probably another 500kg of non-calibrated plates downstairs too, along with a power cage.

    I haven't even mentioned the machines, (now this is only downstairs), which include, but aren't limited to; Chest supported row, cable row, 2 pull downs machines, leg curl, leg extenstion, leg press 2 seated shoulder press, preacher curl bench, 3 dumbbell benches and a another rowing type machine.

    There's 2 weightlifting platforms. 2 Eleiko comp bars (these things are 1,000euro a pop!) and a junior bar too. There's about 300kg worth of bumper plates so you can comfortably run 2 platforms at a time.

    Upstairs, on the first floor is another squat rack, 2 benches and a smith machine. This is in addition to about 15 other machines for various body parts and a chin and dipping station. The cable crossover machine lies in the corner beside the fixed barbells. At the far end of the room is the wrestling mat, which complies with international specifications.

    The top floor is the cardio floor, there's 3-5 threadmills, 2 Concept2 rowers, a few cross trainers and a few bikes. There's also a heavy bag and a hyper extenstion bench, along with 3 different types of sit up board.

    What makes this gym really special is the attitude of the members. Everybody pulls together. I've had training sessions where I've been easily the weakest person there. Unlike every other gym where you might have 1 or 2 big guys, we have 10 or 20!! There's at least 3 300kg squatters, a few 200+kg benchers and 4 or 5 guys who deadlift triple bodyweight.

    We're the strongest gym in Ireland. And I wouldn't train anywhere else.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,397 ✭✭✭✭Degsy


    Jon wrote:
    Finglas Leisure Centre:
    What an anti climax on the back of the Power House report!!

    I trained here a few times when I was stuck for time and also a friend of mine is a duty manager so i get in for free.. would I pay? Nah not for what they offer.

    The gym is basic, very basic. Small and when half busy is a right pain in the hole. Only recently they have gotten in new dumbells which go up to 40kg's - not bad.
    Good points:
    A good few cardio machines - when working.

    Bad points:
    Not enough weights, not enough machines.
    You have to persevere through the groupies that hog certain machines, all the lads having a go while they shoot the breeze with each other. No one seems to know what 'working in with you' means - you get this look from them as if to say 'your not getting my space!'. In between dumbell sets its common for guys to walk over and pick up your weights and walk off with them, especially during busy hours. A swift pull by the hair usually gets them back fairly promt. This is not down to rudness or arrogance on their part, its just its a gym where a lot of newbies start out and aren't aware of gym etiquette. I was one myself! :o
    The gym has a barbell, and..no bench for it. I tried using it one day for deadlifting to be told that you weren't allowed put weight on it :confused:
    When I asked what was it for then, I got a silly answer.
    The benches are hard to adjust as the handles on all of them are busted. The machines take weeks to be repaired.

    Showers:
    Steer clear of the mens showers. They go from boiling hot to stone cold in a split second. Several older folk have complained about this, but they're still the same, it takes weeks and weeks for things to be fixed in this place.

    Some of the staff are sound, they're relatively young. There are one or 2 morons though. Especially one guy who likes to be loud and brash, I think the call it attention seeking. Its not very professionally run.

    But for €5.80, what can one expect!
    Its great for the senior citizens who seem to making the most of this place. There is a good bunch of them there, and they actually put a bit of life in the place.

    In conclusion;
    If your a newbie to the gym, this place can be an option. If you're interested in training properly. Go some where else..anywhere else.

    Its a pity about that gym as its the only one for miles around.Its a victim of its nw success in terms of numbers.There's some bad habits that have been allowed to fester there,especially that of groups of blokes hogging machines and peopel leaving weights lying all over the place.The small size of the place doesnt help either.I t hink maybe a few signs need tto be put up about gym etiquette or a quiet word with some of the people that go there.And you're right,the place is tiny and needs to be at least tripled in size.That noisy staff member..does he have blonde hair and goofy teeth?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭Money Shot


    Degsy wrote:
    Its a pity about that gym as its the only one for miles around.Its a victim of its nw success in terms of numbers.There's some bad habits that have been allowed to fester there,especially that of groups of blokes hogging machines and peopel leaving weights lying all over the place.The small size of the place doesnt help either.I t hink maybe a few signs need tto be put up about gym etiquette or a quiet word with some of the people that go there.And you're right,the place is tiny and needs to be at least tripled in size.That noisy staff member..does he have blonde hair and goofy teeth?

    I've been in there a few times and have to concur - it isn't a nice place. Most of the people there don't seem to have used a gym before so just hog equipment and leave stuff lying around. Nothing worse than a gang of lads hogging a machine or a bench. The one in tara street, markeivich or whatever, isn't as bad in terms of etiquette, but the equipment isn't in great shape and it can be over crowded too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    NUI Maynooth Gym

    Opening hours, 8-10 weekdays, 10-5 weekends.

    Things are quiet today so I thought I'd do a review. First thing to note is this gym is free for all students and quite cheap for outside members afaik, around 300 a year but don't quote me on that. The second thing is its quite small, most of the space in the building being taken up with two gym halls, as you would expect I suppose. The parts we're interested in are split between upstairs and downstairs.

    Upstairs has all the cardio machines, 4 rowers, 6treadmills, and the same of bikes and elliptical machines. They also have one of each weights machine and a pull up/dips station. All in good working condition. There is also a smaller free weights section upstairs, only has two oly bars afaik, dumbbells go up to 30kg I think and there is a cable machine station. There is only three benches so training with weights can get a bit claustrophobic at busy times. During the day until about three its generally quiet enough, after that it gets progressively busier until half nine or thereabouts, with a lull sometimes at dinner.

    Downstairs there is a smaller weights room which appears to be kind of exclusive due to a code lock on the door:rolleyes: but that's just because the desk is upstairs and there's no one supervising downstairs. This is generally where the more experienced guys (and me) train. Similar to upstairs, but dumbbells go from 7.5kg to 40kg I think, (haven't had any need for them thus far) in 2.5 increments(same as upstairs) three oly bars, a power rack, proper bench, shoulder press rack(I don't know if there's a technical name here) leg press and three moveable benches. weight discs go from 1.5kg to 20kg, with about 250-300kg in the 20's last time I checked. Its honestly very small and can feel full with more than five people in there, but its rarely busy (if you consider that busy). Most people are happy to help out. There's a lot of foreign nationals training here too, everyone seems to get along though and I've never seen any trouble. Everyone's just there to lift. Even though I'm not very experienced and lifting a lot less than some of the bigger older guys there's no real egos in here and I've never felt uncomfortable. It can be like that upstairs at times, perhaps because there's often someone on each cardio machine you feel like people are watching you. Also unlike upstairs, there isn't anyone trying to lift stupid weights perhaps cause there's not as many people to show off to.

    All in all I love training here, although I wish there was a pull/dip station downstairs but it wouldn't fit. The size is its worst drawback and if it was a busy gym I wouldn't advise going for that reason, but it ticks over quite well, almost always has someone in there. Would be worth a look if you are in the Maynooth/Celbridge/Leixlip area for sure. Just to note the two halls are available for a kickabout/basketball and there is an astroturf pitch and a few football pitches outside. I'm not 100% sure if the astroturf one is available to play on for non-students but the grass pitches are open to everyone from what I see.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭Money Shot


    Haven't actually trained in the gym, but enquired about it when I was looking for a city centre Gym. For the equipment provided, it was very expensive, although you do get the below, and it was sold pretty hard - wow !!!

    - intensive 2 week programme with personal training (have my own programme, so wouldn't be bothered)
    - nutritional guidance (revolutionary)
    - guidance on food supplements (really - there's a surprise)
    - 4 weeks personal training on joining (as above)
    - 2-monthly reviews of your training programme (No other gym provides this, do they ?)
    - unlimited workouts in your membership year (wow, unique selling point)

    I suppose it seemed more expensive because they only had the 'one off' payment option of 600. It does seem focused on setting your goals for you - which would be great for some people, but not me.

    Maybe someone who's trained here can add further.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Degsy wrote:
    That noisy staff member..does he have blonde hair and goofy teeth?

    LOL.. Spot on my friend


Advertisement